Category: General News

An accident involving an upturned loaded truck has taken a lane on Otedola Bridge, Ojodu Berger, Lagos State.

 

The accident, which happened on Tuesday, has resulted in traffic congestion inward Lagos/Ibadan Expressway and Ojodu Berger as the bridge is flooded.

 

However, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority has said effort is on to remove the truck from the road.

A fatal accident involving an upturned loaded (wheat) truck that has taken a lane on Otedola bridge inw Ojodu Berger.

Traffic is a bit slow coupled with the flooded portion on the bridge.

 

“Effort is on for the recovery of the contents and the truck from the road,” LASTMA said via its X handle.

 

Details later…

By Mohammed Baba Busu

Sept 12, 2023

Mr Joshua Audu-Gana, the member representing Edati/Lavun/Mokwa Federal Constituency of Niger State, in the House of Representatives, says he will appeal the judgment of the election petition tribunal.

The News Agency of Nigeria (MAN) reports that delivering judgment on Monday, a three-member tribunal headed by Sylvester Godspower agreed with the submissions of the petitioners.

The tribunal invalidated votes in the 26 polling units of the constituency, thereby reducing the votes of Gana to 46,494 while those of Gbatamagi were reduced to 39,159.

Speaking to newsmen, Audu-Gana said:”while the tribunal has ruled for a rerun in some polling units in my constituency, I remain a member of the House of Representatives until all judicial processes are exhausted”.

NAN reports that the tribunal ordered for a rerun in 23 out of 482 polling units of the constituency affecting 14, 411 PVCs collected in the area.

“Well, this is not what we expected but this is democracy and we remain confident that our time in the House of Representatives is far from over.

“I understand the exuberance of the media to attract readership. But it is established that the judicial process does not end at the tribunal.

” Therefore, I am focused on discharging my legislative responsibility to the good people of Edati/Lavun/Mokwa Federal Constituency, while also defending the mandate freely and creditably given to me by my constituents at the Court of Appeal.

“I am confident that this judgment by the tribunal will not stand.

” I urge the good and hardworking people of Edati/Lavun/Mokwa Federal Constituency to keep the faith and be rest assured that their mandate will not be taken away under any guise.”

NAN reports that Audu-Gana  of the PDP, was declared the winner after polling 47,942 votes to defeat Abdullahi Gbatamagi, candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), who garnered 40,003 votes.

But the APC and its candidate, Gbatamagi, lodged a petition at the tribunal through their counsel, Johnson Usman, to challenge Gana’s victory.

The petitioners alleged that the election was invalid by reason of non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022.

They added that the margin of win was less than the permanent voter cards (PVCs) collected in the polling units where elections did not hold or were cancelled.

NAN

Suspected armed men have reportedly hijacked two fully loaded buses belonging to the Benue state government-owned Benue Links Transport Company whisking away over 10 passengers from the Lagos-bound vehicles that took off from Makurdi.

It was gathered that the armed men waylaid the vehicles at about 2pm on Sunday along Ajaokuta-Okene road in Kogi state.

A source in the company who spoke on condition of anonymity in Makurdi disclosed that some of the passengers sustained injuries during the attack while some were lucky to have escaped unhurt.

 

He said, “It is true, the incident happened along Ajaokuta-Okene road yesterday between 2pm and 3pm when the two buses were heading to Lagos.

 

“Available information indicated that ten passengers were abducted during the attack. And the incident was reported at Adogo Police station near Okene.”

 

The official lamented that the Okene-Ajaokuta road had become synonymous with the rampant kidnap of unsuspecting commuters.

 

He said, “this is not the first time we are recording this type of incident on that particular axis of Kogi state and it is not peculiar to us. Several travelers have also fallen victim to the armed gang on that axis. Even at that nothing is being done to check the menace.

 

“We are appealing to security agencies to do something about these ugly incidents because people now feel very unsafe while plying that road to any part of the country.”

 

No management staff of the transport company was willing to speak on the matter while the Benue State Police Command also kept mute over the issue probably because the incident did not occur within its jurisdiction

PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu and President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on Monday in Abu Dhabi, have finalized a historic agreement, which has resulted in the immediate cessation of the visa ban placed on Nigerian travelers.

 

 

Furthermore, by this historic agreement, both Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines are to immediately resume flight schedules into and out of Nigeria, without any further delay.

As negotiated between the two Heads of State, this immediate restoration of flight activity, through these two airlines and between the two countries, does not involve any immediate payment by the Nigerian government.

 

In recognition of President Tinubu’s economic development diplomacy drive and proposals today presented by President Tinubu to his counterpart, an agreed framework has been established, which will involve several billions of U.S. dollars worth of new investments into the Nigerian economy across multiple sectors, including defense, agriculture and others, by the investment arms of the Government of the United Arab Emirates.

 

Ajuri Ngelale, media aide to Tinubu, in a release said that “Additionally, President Tinubu is pleased to have successfully negotiated a joint, new foreign exchange liquidity programme between the two Governments, which will be announced in detail in the coming weeks.”

 

 

Also, Tinubu commended the Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President, for his unalloyed friendship and his determined effort to join hands with him to fully normalize and reset to excellence, the standard of relations between the two important countries, he said

Doyen of accounting, Pa Akintola Williams, has died at the age of 104.

 

Pa Williams died in his sleep in the early hours of today, Monday, September 11, 2023.

Akintola was the country’s first indigenous chartered accountant, who pioneered Nigeria’s accounting profession.

Born in 1919, he was instrumental in developing the country’s financial sector.

 

The renowned accountant studied accounting at the University of London and qualified as a chartered accountant in 1947.

 

He returned to Nigeria and later set up his accounting firm, Akintola Williams & Co., now Deloitte & Touche, in 1952.

 

Williams was also a strong advocate for developing the accounting profession in Nigeria.

 

He was a founding member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and was president from 1963 to 1965. He was also a member of the National Board of Accountants and Auditors.

 

Williams received many awards and honours, including the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) and the Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM).

 

He was also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

A Social media post trended recently about alleged illegal variations and inflation of some contracts of the FCTA/FCDA.

 

Our correspondent took time out to investigate the allegations contained in the Social media post. Credible sources in the FCTA/FCDA provided useful information which proved that the allegations were false and misleading.

 

Our correspondent gives a point by point explanation on each of the allegations below:

 

1. The Project referred to in Gaduwa is presumed to be the contract for the Emergency Rehabilitation/Improvement of Access Road to Nigeria Centre for Disease Control Laboratory in Gaduwa District. The contract was awarded to M/s CBC Global Civil & Building Construction Company Nigeria Limited at the sum of N2,493,389,942.88.

As the name implies it was an emergency contract due to the Covid-19 Pandemic and the need to quickly access the facilities for testing and treatment of infected persons. The scope of work comprises, Roadworks, Surface Water Drainage, Culverts and River Training. It is 2.4km long asphaltic concrete road. The project was completed on schedule and payment made in full.

The assertions of the author is therefore false.

 

2. On the issues of the contracts awarded at 10 Billion naira and later jacked up to N119 billion, no such contract exists in FCDA.

 

3. “Awarded Contract of N50 Billion later jacked up to N200 Billion” – FCTA/FCDA sources say this is strange to them and believed to be the figment of imagination of the writer.

 

4. “Award of contract of N6 Billion and later jacked up toN70 Billion”, Our sources in the FCTA/FCDA also revealed that they do not have such contract.

 

5. “Awarded Emergency Maintenance of Usman Dam at the cost of N9 Billion and paid in full without any BOQ and so many procurement infractions”.

Our credible sources revealed categorically that it is not true.

According to them, currently, the nature of works at the site demands emergency attention due to the fact that it can result to disruption of water supply to the city.

More so some of the Eletro-mechanical components required will have to be imported, so the procurement process is ongoing.

“But as we speak there is no payment yet on the works”, the source said.

 

6. “Left debt of over N1.2 Trillion to FCT without anything to show” – Our sources revealed that debts owed contractors working for the FCT Administration were debts accruing over a period of more than 20 years, spanning through several administrations and not wholly incurred during the last administration.

 

6. “Approval of green areas to residential houses and Converting Residential Houses in Wuse 2, Maitama Gana Street, Garki into Commercial in contrary to the Abuja Master Plan”. It was confirmed that the FCT / FCDA at no time condoled the abuse of the Master Plan. “However, if there is any infringement known to the Authority, necessary actions are always taken to correct such violations

Two suspected cultists have been gunned down in a clash by members of a suspected rival gang in Osun State.

 

DAILY POST gathered that the incident occurred in Ilesa town on Sunday evening.

 

According to information, the rival gang members stormed the beer parlour at Onimo junction, where the victims, identified as Machine and SK, were drinking.

 

The traditional ruler in the area, Onimo of Imo, Oba Olaniyi Agunbiade, said he was watching a football match around 8 p.m. when he heard gunshots.

He said he immediately alerted the Ijamo Police Divisional Officer, who swiftly responded to the distress call.

 

“The deed has been done before the arrival of his men.

 

“Corpses of the victims were removed by the police for investigation,” he said.

 

Yemisi Opalola, spokesman of the state police command, confirmed the incident in a conversation with DAILY POST.

 

“It was a clash between two suspected rival cult groups.

 

“It was a case of a suspected cult gang gunning down two members of another suspected rival cult group,” she said.

 

Opalola said an investigation has opened on it, and the culprits would be brought to book.

The Management of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) led by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olusola Kehinde, has stopped no less than 7 Muslim students from attending a lecture in the school.

The incident sparked a series of protests from the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN).

 

According to an eyewitness, the MSSN had set Saturday, September 9 to commence one of their routine program known as Jihad Week. It was learnt, however, that the school management instructed the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to stop Muslim students from attending the event.

 

It was also gathered that the leadership of MSSN in the university had prior to the event requested the approval of the university management to make use of one of the school’s auditoriums. The request was said to have been approved under the condition that the Muslim organisation signs an undertaken.

 

According to the MSSN Amir, Fadullah Shittu, the school management asked him to sign an undertaken that Muslim sisters adorning the niqab (veils) will not attend the program. “A laughable proposal that was sternly rejected by the MSSN,” he said in a statement.

In further explanation, the MSSN noted that aside from the public knowledge that the niqab is part of Islam, attendees of the event will not only be students of the school but also members of Muslim Communities from all parts of the country.

After rejecting the school’s demand to sign an undertaken against members of his organisation, the MSSN noted that the venue for the program was changed to the university mosque.

Saturday, September 9, 2023 – Event Day 1

 

The MSSN Jihad Week program commenced at the University Mosque as rescheduled after failed plea to utilize one of the university’s auditoriums. According to Live Facebook video updates from MSSN FUNAAB, the event started as scheduled but was however truncated after reports reached them that sisters on Niqob are being sent away by the university security men at the gate.

 

According to events seen in the video, an Alumnus of the school was on his way to attend the Jihad week program alongside his sister who is wearing the Niqob. Despite agreeing to open her face for identification, the security men noted that they are obeying instructions from the CSO not to allow anybody with niqob into the school and has nothing to do with identification.

 

The Alumnus argued that if identification is not the reason for stopping his sister at the gate, then it is an open attack on the niqob as a mode of dressing and consequently an attack on Islam in its entirety. He was filmed demanding the speak with the CSO but was denied access by the security men.

Shortly after, the Muslim students were seen marching in large numbers to protest against what was described as an open confrontation on Islam.

 

The protest which led to blockage of the school gate generated series of altercations between the Alumnus, the CSO and the students. The Alumnus however maintained that as long as the university is a public institution, no injunction stops his mother, sister or family from accessing the university just for wearing a niqob, especially when she has been duly identified.

 

The protesting students were later addressed by the University Librarian who pleaded with them to vacate the gate as the sisters in niqob would be allowed in with them and the issue will be unfailingly resolved.

Sunday, September 10, 2023 – Event Day 2

 

The Jihad Week event of the MSSN continued at the school mosque. But despite the protest that happened on Saturday, eyewitness reported that the security men at the FUNAAB gate stopped Muslim students from accessing the school in the early hours of Sunday.

 

Meanwhile, Intel Region gathered that the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olusola Kehinde, had on Saturday issued out verbal invitations to the Amir of MSSN as well as stakeholders in the university including members of the FUNAAB Muslim Community.

The meeting which was said to have held at 10am on Sunday had all invitees in attendance. Sources confirmed the occurrence of the meeting but stated that the VC insisted that he is the only one that will speak and no other observation or comments will be entertained by any of the stakeholder present.

 

Intel Region could not immediately confirm this as no formal statement was released by the school after the meeting.

 

According to the Muslim students on campus, it was alleged that the VC threatened to rusticate all Muslim students as well as asking Muslims in the institution to seek his approval before organising any religious activity at the school mosque, which can include the 5 daily prayers.

 

Unpleased by the alleged threats of the VC, the Muslim students continued their demonstration by observing Morning prayers (Subhi) at the school gate on Monday September 11, 2023.

Onigbinde Says CYE’s Mandate Is To Ensure Unity Of Yoruba Race

By Adewale Owoade

The President, Council of Yoruba Elders (CYE), Chief Adegboyega Onigbinde, has said that the group was formed to unite all the Yoruba Sons and Daughters all around the world for the interest of national development.

Chief Onigbinde stated this during a press conference at Oduduwa House, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

He said that this clarification was necessary in reaction to some insinuations that emerged from various groups shortly after his appointment as the president of the newly launched social cultural organisation, recently in Ibadan.

Onigbinde noted that the objectives of the CYE is to ensure that the Yorubas remains in good position, playing their roles as nation builders.

He maintained that CYE as a social cultural group is not at loggerhead with any other yoruba group.

In his words, Chief Onigbinde said, “The core mandate of CYE is to ensure that we are in best position to play our roles for the interest of our race and our country at large.

“And for us to achieve this, we must be united, all hands must be on deck, we must forget all our differences, for now we don’t have a one voice as a race.

“We must all come together, put our resources, knowledge and wisdom together, it is through this that we can have a one strong voice, it has to be collective efforts.

“This organisation is open to all Yoruba sons and daughters both at home and abroad for ideas and support of any kind, we formed this organisation with the good intention of moving our country forward.

“The interest of our race is paramount on our agenda and for us to achieve this, our unity is non negotiable.” He said.

Some of the pro tem exco of the Council of Yoruba Elders, as unveiled by the former Super Eagles National Coach, Chief Onigbinde include, Dr Victor Taiwo, Secretary General; Hakeem Danmola, National Treasurer.

Erelu Tijani, National Financial Secretary; Prince Lanre Ogundipe, Publicity Secretary; Elder Taiye Ayorinde, Chairman Mediation and Reconciliation committee; Prince Bowofade Aderemi, Legal Adviser; Retire AIG Bola Alonge, Security Adviser; Chief (Mrs) Simisade Kuku, Chairman Women Affairs.

Princess Dorcas Amusan-Fagborun, Chairman Diaspora; Mr Muhammed Babatunde Aliyu, Chairman Public Awareness; Prof. Olukayode Ogundoro, Administrative Secretary; Others include states Chairmen, and committee chairmen.

In his welcome address, the Secretary General of CYE, who also doubles as the President General of Oodua Redemption Alliance, Dr Victor Taiwo said ;

“We cannot continue to be fooling ourselves, most of Yoruba groups that we all known have been polarised with either by politics or personal interest.”

“We cannot continue to pretend as if we don’t know what is going on, Hausa people have a formidable group that champion their interest, which is Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF).

“They speak with one voice irrespective of their political differences, Igbo people also have their own which is called Ohaneze Ndigbo, but here in Yorubaland our Afenifere group have been polarised.

“We now have Afenifere Renewal Group, and so many other factions, even the Yoruba Council Of Elders (YCE) has also been factionalised, there is Pa Rueben Fasonrati group, and there is Pa Ayo Adebanjo group.

“So we are no longer speaking with one voice and it is so sad, we cannot move forward with all these mess, we need a strong and formidable group that will be championing our interest at the national level too.

“This is what gave birth to this Council of Yoruba Elders (CYE) that was officially launched on Thursday 31st August, 2023 at the House of Chiefs here in Ibadan, the event was a successful one.

“We Yorubas are so brilliant, we are known for our brilliance, but it is so sad because when it comes to wisdom to speak with one voice we are lagging behind, politics has divided us.

“Personal interest has divided us, we need to forget all these and come together for the betterment of our race and for the interest of our nation at large.”

Chief Mrs Erelu Dosumu Abiola, the Yeye Oodua of the Source, who was appointed as the Vice president of the organisation, was then elevated to grand- patroness,the official mother of the Yoruba race, as announced by Chief Onigbinde.

In attendance at the event were Prof. Kayode Ogundoro, Chief Olu Alege Olaseyi, Mogaji Ogunsola Anisere, Alhaja Bisola Quadri, Chief Dara Odunjo, Comrade Wale Alabi, Dr. Tope Taiwo, Mr Rahaman Adebayo, Mrs Bose Oni, among others.